Once in a While
by xXGrayGajeelLaxusXx
Summary: After challenging Freed to an unexpected duel, Gajeel ends up slowly falling head over heels in love with the rune mage over the course of spending more time with him. Freed, being the dedicated man he is to Laxus, can't see himself dating anyone other than Laxus. However, Gajeel's got a plan to win Freed over and it deals with Gray and a whole lot of misunderstandings. (Yaoi!)


**So if you guys don't remember, I had a story called " So a book is what began this all" on my main account, put took it down because I lost some files that had a few of the chapters of that story on it. Well i found the flash drive and decided why not just re-upload them?**

 **I'll post an update to this story when I've got noting planed just to satisfy my weird GajeelXFreed pairing lol.**

 **So here you go! Enjoy it.**

 **Yes this was my first Yaoi too, lol.**

* * *

Freed sat the far side of the guild. His head hidden behind a book in hand reading the printed words jammed onto the pages that turned as he finished and moved on to the next set. Levy had gave him this book with confidence he would enjoy it, and he had to admit, he did indeed enjoy it. He scanned over the old western themed plot line he caught himself so interested in. It started off a little slow in the beginning, but now he would just die from suspense if he put it down for even a minute. Even now as his eyes read every word he felt engulfed into the characters and the situation they had gotten themselves put into. Mira had come over to offer him something to eat, but he didn't even look her way. His eyes were glued into the book. It preoccupied his mind. He just couldn't seem to but it down. That was until a certain dragon slayer came by and slammed his hand onto the pages of his book.

Freed looked up into the red burning eyes of Gajeel and his little exceed, Panther Lilly. He grinned with his signature laugh, 'Gihi', and took the book away from him. Freed stood up and attempted to snatch it back only for Gajeel to shift himself to the side before he could. "Whoa, wait I got something to ask you before you can get this back." Gajeel said closing the book and tucking it under his arm. He, at least, had the decency to mark the page before he did. "I saw how you just swatted Mira off, won't happen to me"

Freed frowned and folded his arms over his chest, looking up at Gajeel with a down turn of his eyebrows and a thin line across his lips. Gajeel needed him? For what? It wasn't as if the Iron Dragon slayer didn't talk to him. They spoke occasionally, however it was never really anything that dealt with personal matters. It either dealt with the guild or their team mates. Freed had the nerve to turn away and ignore him, however, he decided if it would leave him alone with his book, he would at least hear Gajeel out. "Fine, what are you in need of me?" he said sitting back down in his chair. Gajeel grinned and sat down himself across from him.

"I wanna fight." Gajeel gave him a smirk and put Freed's book on the table. He laid his arm over the top of it and gave him a pointed look. "Right now. I wanna fight." Freed just sat there for a second before he shook his head.

"A fight?" He slowly ran a hand through his hair. "I swear you're just like Natsu. Prancing around like a child challenging everyone to one of your meaning less battles. I don't brawl unless I have a reason to."

"Oi! Don't you dare compare me to that little prick! I don't prance around like a little girl!" Gajeel gave the other male a frown with a small growl. "Besides I just wanted to fight you. I don't really ask much. Just people I really want to fight." Freed sighed.

"That doesn't concern me. If you want a fight ask someone else, I don't have time to have a full out melee with someone for no reason. I have a book it get back to-" he looked up just in time to see Gajeel flipping through the pages, scanning the words, not even caring if he rip the pages from turning so hard.

"What kind of book is this?" he said not even fully looking at the sentences.

"It's a rather old scientific western novel about the hard ships of-"

"Don't care, why read when you could spend time going on a mission or something?" Freed glared at him, going to snatch his book back again before Gajeel turned around completely and pressed his back into the table.

"I've just come back from a mission and you're going to tear the pages that way from turning them so fast!" Freed said with a frantic look on his face. Gajeel glanced back up at him then grinned evilly before he began turning the pages even faster. "Please stop; that's not my book, it would be rude to return it back damaged!"

"See," Gajeel said holding the book up with just one page, earning a worried gasp out of the other male. "Now you have a reason to fight me." he said grinning.

Freed narrowed his eyes. "I don't want to-"

Gajeel smirked. "If you don't, I'll rip this damn book to shreds." Freed flinched, feeling the sharp edge in his voice, noting just how serious Gajeel was. The green haired man sighed before he glared back up at the dragon slayer.

"Fine" he said "I accept you're challenge."

Freed and Gajeel stood facing each other in the training field of the guild. Mages surrounded them in a thick circle spread out, but not far enough to where they couldn't see fight. Freed sighed, he was afraid this would happen, eager mages crowding over them just to see the two men fight, it was a pointless brawl and Freed wanted to crawl in a hole and get away from all this commotion, but he put restrain on himself and stuck to his word. He told Gajeel he would fight him, and that was what he was going to do. He was a man of his word, so if this would shut Gajeel up and grant him his book back, he really not a choice, but to do it.

Gajeel grinned over at him and took a battle stance. "Alright, let's do this!"

Freed just sighed as he put a hand on his sword. "Let's just get it over with." Gajeel smirked and took the first move and charged at Freed with his arm already changed to iron. He extended his arm and threw it towards the other man to see him already gone. Gajeel looked up in confusion until he heard behind him. "I'm behind you." he turned straight into a fist and then dirt. Freed stood behind him as Gajeel dusted himself off. "Was that all you wanted?"

Gajeel wiped his mouth off with his arm and chuckled. "Nope I'm just getting started, guess I gotta get serious." he took off again changing his arm back to iron and threw it at Freed once more. Freed took it full on with his sword pushing off before swinging it back into Gajeel's arm. They did that a few times as the crowd around them cheered.

Erza looked down at Freed with a small smile. Natsu waved his arms around wildly beside her, watching the fight before him. "Whoa! You see that Erza?!" he yelled over the cheering and pointed to the fight in front of them.

"Yes, Freed's swordsmanship isn't all that bad, worthy of being an opponent against me."

"But is it just me or has he gotten stronger?" Lucy asked watching the fight in awe. At that moment Gajeel grinned and swung his arm at Freed's feet. Freed dodged by jumping up and landing on Gajeel's arm. He ran up it and to a swing at Gajeel's head. Gajeel ducked, missing it only a little, before throwing his arm up to knock Freed back behind him and off his arm. Freed flipped upside down and wrote a quick rune on Gajeel, ticklish, and Gajeel busted out laughing just as Freed landed on his free hand pushing off it to flip himself back up right.

"What…. the fuc-…. is this…." Gajeel managed to say between laughs. Freed smirked.

"A feeling rune, it makes you feel whatever emotion I write."

"Damnit" Gajeel said trying to swing free from the rune and Freed again, but missed because of his laughter.

Laxus walked up behind Erza and Lucy and smiled. "Yeah he has. Ever since the Grand Magic Games he's been training to keep up with me." Lucy smiled, Freed was really dedicated to Laxus. Kind of like a little brother, it was somehow cute.

"Alright" Freed said "I'm tired and I want my book back, so let's end this." he came after Gajeel again and raised his sword and took a swing at him but Gajeel blocked it, he stopped laughing too. Freed looked down at the other man, surprised. "How did you-"

Gajeel smirked "Oh your rune? I just suppressed it, it wasn't as strong as I thought." Freed smiled.

"Impressive" he said and pushed off his sword as Gajeel took in a breath his cheeks puffing out.

"I'm not done with you yet!" he said "Iron dragon Roar!" a big tornado like power crashed into Freed and sent him straight into a wall. However, he bounced back and came back to Gajeel.

"And so as I" he yelled swinging again at him.

"If I do say so, myself, those two just very well may be equally matched" Erza said as she leaned forwards towards the battle.

"Yeah, Freed's keeping up with him really well." Lucy agreed still in awe.

"But of course he is." Evergreen said undoing her fan and waving it in front of her face. Bixslow was behind her laughing.

"Mmm yeah, but you can still tell he's not fully serious, the fight would have been over with by now." He said looking over to his babes. "Right babes?"

"Over, over!" they chanted. Bixslow laughed again.

Erza looked back towards the fight. "Then that goes to show you that he's having more fun than he's letting on."

Freed made another hit on Gajeel, throwing him back to the ground with another mouth full of dirt. "God damn it! Stop that!" Gajeel yelled charging up after spitting the dirt away.

Freed chuckled. "Like a little kid" he said as he drew his sword back.

"What!?" Gajeel yelled watching him. "Are you quitting?"

"As much fun as this has been, I think it's clear that this fight is getting nowhere." he turned to leave before Gajeel called back to him.

"Oi! Get back here and fight me! I'm not done! I didn't get a chance to punch you in the face! Freed!" the other man just threw his hand up to signal he was done.

Erza shook her head with a chuckle as people began to leave and Gajeel pouted, still yelling things at the retreating back of Freed. "I guess he's had enough."

Lucy was laughing her butt off beside her. "He's acting just like Natsu when someone won't fight him!" she said, her sentence full of giggles.

Gajeel growled and glared at the blonde teen. "Shut it bunny!" he yelled. Lucy tried to hold her laugh but failed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry but- I'm sorry" she squealed running from a pissed Gajeel chasing after her.

Freed turned back to watch them with a chuckled. "I'll get my book back later." he said shaking his head.

Gajeel pushed his door open and stomped inside his house, Panther Lily behind him. "Damn that stupid rune maker, just quitting half way in my fight!" he stomped up the stairs to his bedroom and kicked the door open. He strutted inside and grabbed some clothes before walking to his shower. He turned on the water to let it get warm and stripped before seeing the hair on his head a little uneven from when Freed tried to cut him, but missed when he dodged.

He frowned and walked into the shower to wash off all the dirt on his arms and legs. Then he remembered the book. "That's right, forgot to give him back his book." he said as he washed suds out of his hair. "Maybe I should take it to him," he growled again realizing he didn't know where the run mage lived and turned the water off. He stepped out and threw a towel around his hips and walked down stairs to see Lilly sitting at the table polishing his sword. He looked up at Gajeel and pointed to the counter where the book sat still the way he left it when he gave it to Lilly.

"Are you going to give it back, or challenge him to another duel for it?" Lilly asked setting down the sword and looking up at his dragon slayer friend.

Gajeel smirked "Tempted to do so, but since the battle was considered a tie, I'll just give it back." He looked over at the book and took a good look at it. "I guess when he said it wasn't his, he wasn't kidding. That's the one shrimp had before."

"I saw her give it to him the other day, she thought he would like it, guess he really does, can't even put it down" Gajeel shrugged.

"I should just give it back."

"Put on some clothes"

"I know I'm not dumb Lilly" he walked back up the stairs and into the bathroom to throw his clothes before rubbing self cautiously on his uneven hair. "I'll pay him back for that." he grumbled into the fogged up mirror. He walked out and looked over at Lilly. "You going?"

"No, I'm gonna stay here, you can go on ahead" he said. Gajeel nodded and walked out the door and onto the streets of managolia. He didn't even know where he was going, he didn't know where he lived. So he just walked to fairy hills instead.

When he made it Erza was coming out an excited look on her face. She paused when she saw him "Gajeel?" she said her happy-go-lucky expression turning into one of questioning "What are you doing here, you know the rules state men can't be here right?"

"Screw the rules, I got to talk with shrimp." before she could even retaliate, he walked passed her and into the building. Already knowing her room number he walked up the long stairs to her room. He knocked twice and waited for her to open up.

Once she did she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Gajeel, what are you doing here? I thought guys couldn't come in-"

"They can't but I can, I got a quick question I know you can answer. I'll be gone quickly if you just answer it." Levy still had an uneasy look on her face, but she nodded anyway and offered him in. He shrugged it off. "Don't need to, like I said, I'll be quick." Levy nodded, pulling her door back closer to her hip.

"Go ahead then."

Getting straight to it, Gajeel asked, "Do you know where Freed lives, and don't say you don't cause I know you do, you trade books with him often." She frowned and sighed.

"Yeah I know. Don't tell me you're going to challenge him again, give it a break." Gajeel huffed.

"I'm not, I just want to give him his book back." Levy raised her eyebrow again, but didn't ask any more questions.

"Well alright, I'll just go write it down for you then."

Gajeel stood right in front of the green haired mage's house and looked back down at his paper to make sure he was right. When he confirmed he was, he knocked twice on the door and waited as he heard footsteps coming. However, instead of Freed opening the door, it was Bixslow. Gajeel couldn't see his face, but he knew it would show a bit puzzled expression. He seemed to be pulling a lot on people's questioning side today.

"Whoa, the singer, didn't think I'd be seeing you here this late. Need something?" Bickslow asked leaning against the door frame.

"Yeah, Freed here" he asked. Bixslow slowly nodded, stepping aside for Gajeel to pass through. He steeped over the threshold, taking a small look around as Bickslow closed and locked the door back.

"Up stairs first door to your right" Bickslow said. Gajeel nodded and tugged up the stairs, knocking on the door Bickslow instructed him to. He could hear a book closing and a voice.

"Come in" it said. Gajeel opened the door and suddenly he was surrounded by towers of books. His eyes widen as he looked at three curved book shelves lined with thousands of books resting on their shelves. They were surrounding a desk littered with paper with different things wrote on them, books old and new, a lamp that was on, and Freed his hair up into a pony tail sitting behind it in an oversized chair, looking up at him through reading glasses with, surprisingly, not a surprised look, but he did sigh. "Have you come here for a rematch?" he asked grabbing some papers and trapping them lightly on the desk to straighten out the stack before putting them back down.

"No, just thought you would want your book back" he held it out for him.

"I see" Freed said taking a stand and walking over to Gajeel. The man to admit, he was a little surprised to see Gajeel here, but then again, he kind of had to expect it. Just as anyone else in Fairy Tail, Gajeel was unpredictable. Somehow, some part of him was actually glad to see the dragon slayer. He took the book out of his hands and set it on his desk. "Thank you, I thought I was going to have to beat it out of you tomorrow"

Gajeel grinned. Hearing Freed say 'beat it out of you' tickled some interest in him. He never thought the other man could say something like that, it made him think about just who he really was dealing with here. "Yeah, well to bad for you, but I'm not getting dirt stuck in my mouth anymore." Freed laughed a bit, something that tugged on Gajeel's ego. He never though a guy like himself could make an uptight guy like Freed laugh so easily. Considering the fact that he never seen the man laugh full on like this before made him think Freed only opened himself up like that in front of his teammates; It really gave his pride a small boast.

"You can take a seat if you want to." Freed said walking back to his own chair. Gajeel didn't have anything else to talk about with Freed, but he couldn't help the side of him that wanted to stay a little longer with the older mage. He walked over to a brown leather chair that was facing the desk. There was another one parallel to the one he was sitting in and a few behind him towards the door.

Freed looked up at him and smiled. "So was that all you came here for? To return the book?"

"Yeah kind of, was there something else I was supposed to do that you knew about and I didn't?" Gajeel said raising and eyebrow

"No, not that I know of" Freed said shrugging. Freed turned down to the papers on his desk and began writing down across the papers. It was silent for a minute, prompting Gajeel to think of something to say.. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of something to talk about with the other man. He didn't know Freed very well and he wasn't really a conversation holder.

"So," Gajeel said trying his best to come up with something to discuss with the run mage. "What was doll freak doing here?"

Freed looked up and regarded him. "Bixslow?" he asked unsure of who he was talking about, but he only had one other person in his house that he knew of. Gajeel nodded. Freed just stared at him for a second. "Wow, you people and these nicknames" he said chuckling. "He comes over sometimes just to hang out, it keeps me company. If you haven't noticed, I live alone" Gajeel nodded, he didn't even throw a retort about how he just stated the obvious, he let it ride.

"You guys must be good friends." Gajeel said then mentally slapped himself. Of course they were good friends, he was on the same team with him. Freed nodded anyway, turning back to his papers.

"Yeah, I've known him since I first came to the guild."

"And Laxus?"

Freed frowned down at his writing before erasing it. "Laxus came a little later, but for the most part, I've been friends with them for about the same length." Gajeel nodded.

"What are you writing?" he asked.

"Story" Freed replied. "It isn't mine, Lucy asked me to review her work before she published it in a contest."

"Bunny?" Gajeel said raise. Freed couldn't help but chuckle.

"You sure do have the most absurd nicknames for the other guild members" Freed said shaking his head. "But yes, bunny." Gajeel laughed.

"Say that again!" he said.

"What? Bunny?" Gajeel laughed harder.

"You sound so weird saying something like that!" he said. Freed smiled.

"Really? Bunny?" Gajeel laughed again, harder this time. Freed strangely liked the husky deep tones in Gajeel laugh. He found himself enjoying it and wanting to hear it more. "I wonder if I said other things, would that sound weird?"

"Do-" Gajeel laughed, "Do the line that was in Levy's story."

"The one Natsu read aloud in the guild hall yesterday?"

"Yeah that one, say it, god I need to hear this."

Freed crossed his arms over his chest and put a hand under his chin. "Alright, hmmm now how are you supposed to say that, like this" Freed took off his glasses and took down his pony tail, his hair cascading down and around his face. Gajeel watched as he fluttered his eye lashes then said "I just wish you would notice me, because I'm so in love with you!" then he flipped his hair and made a pouting face.

Gajeel just sat there for a second before he burst with laughs and slammed his hand into the arm of the chair. "No" he said shaking his head with laughs "please…"

"Gajeel darling what is wrong?" Freed said, playing with the tone in his voice. Gajeel doubled over in laughs. "Gajeel- poo, please you'll hurt yourself." Gajeel cringed regardless of how hard he was laughing. He held his stomach, his fit taking over him and making him cackle uncontrollably as his chair tipped over, sending him backwards. Freed laughed himself watching has Gajeel groaned out below him in pain. "See Gajey, I told you" Gajeel still couldn't help, but laugh.

"God, don't call me that" Freed stood up and walked over to help him up.

When Freed held his hand out, Gajeel grabbed it pulling Freed down into his chest with him. "Ha! You deserve it!" he said "that's what you get for cutting my hair."

"I cut your hair?" Gajeel sat up, taking Freed with him. Freed blushed a bit, noticing he was now straddling the dragon slayer, but Gajeel didn't seem to mind as he pointed to the uneven spikes at the top of his head.

"Yeah when you took that wild swing at me earlier."

Freed smiled. "Sorry"

"It's fine, I'm not mad anymore, got my pay back." he laid back down and grinned.

Freed rolled off him and laid at his side, "My arm hurts because of you now."

"Oh really? Well you didn't fall back on your ass."

"That is not my fault"

"Yes it is."

"And how is that?"

"You making me laugh that hard, that's how, it's been a while since I laughed like that."

"You should laugh more, Gajeel" Freed said. Gajeel turned and looked at him. It was silent for a moment, the two just gazing at each other.

Finally Gajeel looked up at the ceiling, frowning. "Why?"

"Your laugh is cute."

Gajeel growled "Don't."

"Your growl is cute too"

"Don't you dare call something of mine cute." Freed laughed, rolling onto his side to look at Gajeel.

"O but it is, aren't you suppose to state what you think."

"Yeah, you can, but don't call me cute. I'm a grown man."

"Gajeel, I'm older than you."

"Shut up!" Freed sat up, taking a stand before turning to Gajeel and held his hand out again.

"This time don't take me down with you" The run mage grumbled. Gajeel made a small 'Gihi' and took his had pulling himself up then the chair behind him.

Gajeel stretched and scratched the back of his head. "I should head home."

"Yes, it is getting late" Freed grabbed the rubber band he had on his hair from before and began to pull his hair back into a pony tail before Gajeel stopped him. Gajeel took the tie from his hands and threw it behind him with a smirk.

"Don't" he said. "I like it better down." Freed couldn't help the red line of a blush that crept onto his face. Gajeel grinned. "It makes you," he walked over, taking Gajeel by the hip and tugging him closer. Into his ear he whispered, "cute." then he walked out throwing his hand up, signaling he was leaving. Freed shook his head. How did he manage to get so close to the other male in just one day, not even fully 24 hours? He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Freed realized he had his own nickname for the dragon slayer. "You big tease" he said smiling to himself.

"That's a bad nickname" Bixslow said outside his door.

"Go home!"


End file.
